Rogue Star's Shadow
by Bloody-werewolf 2
Summary: Walking behind her as she gets further away is no better. But, why is trying to keep up so hard? Renji won't let her get away anymore. Even if it means going against the people who made him stronger. RenjRuki


_**Chapter 1: Rogue Star's Proclamation**_

"Care to explain what you're doing Abarai?" The voice of Kuchiki Byakuya said monotonously against the wind that surrounded one red-haired shinigami.

"What does it look like, _captain?_" Renji replied sarcastically.

"It looks like you are about to erase your own pathetic life. You know you don't have the amount of reitsu you are putting into that attack."

Renji didn't reply. Why was Byakuya even bothering him during training. Scratch that, why was he even acknowledging his existence on a day when they had no business in each others presence. It made no sense, and it irked Renji's nerves.

"You haven't been paying attention have you?" Renji replied with a chuckle as Zabimaru began to glow red, as if entering bankai. "I've gotten stronger since we've come from Hueco Mundo."

'I know that.' Byakuya thought, but remained silent. 'That's why I feel you are the best for this job...'

"So you just gonna stand there all day and watch?" Renji called, the ground around him starting to shake as red reitsu surrounded his body.

"Hmm..." Was his only answer. Renji shrugged. He was trying to start a fight with Byakuya, flaunting his power right now. But even now, his captain still didn't seem impressed. Maybe he was dissappointed in the act that Renji was putting on at the moment? What did it matter though. He had nothing but time to keep getting stronger. Nothing but time...

"Tatsumaki no Zabimaru!" (Tornado of the Baboon King) Renji slung Zabimaru in a downward slash, extending the blade. As each link struck the ground, a red tornado formed on each blade, growing bigger until there were fifteen tornadoes in a straight line. He instantly retracted the blade and swung again, however, the blade was reflected off one of the storms. Renji growled in frustration, turning to find his captain look away instantly. Byakuya had watched astonished at Renji's new attack. So surprised that his jaw dropped in awe.

'Interesting. He's getting much better at using his reitsu outside of bankai. This is actually beyond what I expected.' Renji sighed.

"Have you talked to her?" Renji asked without facing his captain. Byakuya's eyes set in a glare, though he acknowledged Renji's statement.

"No." Was all he said, a small smirk adorning his face. Renji didn't respond. He just began to walk away, heading back to his own barracks.

"Renji Abarai. Are you going to give up so easily? I thought you said you got stronger since coming from Hueco Mundo."

"I've been practicing all day-"

"That's not what I mean." Byakuya called sternly, causing Renji to stop and look at his captain skeptically. "Are you going to walk away...from Rukia as well." Byakuya drew his blade, blocking the attack from Renji instantly.

"SHUT UP! I'll never turn my back on Rukia! Not now or ever!"

Byakuya knocked Zabimaru away, and parried another strike. Before the last one could contract, he flash stepped behind Renji, standing back to back with him.

"Even if you don't walk away, walking behind her as she gets further away is just as bad." Renji froze for a split second before his anger rose again. Turning swiftly, he swung at his captain again, just to find that he wasn't there. "Letting your anger control you has always been your downfall Abarai. I highly disapprove of such behavior if you wish to become captain tomorrow."

In the midst of another attack, Renji stopped. "Wha...what did you just say?"

"I will be recommending you for advancement to captain. You have proven to me time and time again that you are capable of taking the job and leading others. Your will has allowed you to get stronger, and I think promoting you to captain will give you the last boost you need to achieve your final goal."

'Rukia...' Renji thought in his mind. Byakuya waited patiently for Renji to respond.

"Heh. You know, this is exactly why I admire you captain. You've always got our backs, even if you have to point a sword at it."

* * *

**Karakura Town...**

"Achoo!"

"What the hell? Gah, go wipe your nose!"

"*Sniff* Sorry! Someone must be talking about me or something."

Ichigo held his head in frustration. "What type of sense does that make? You don't sneeze just because someone's talking about you!"

"Uh-huh! I can prove it too!" Rukia ran back into the closet, rummaging through her back pack.

"Oh no...don't tell me..."

Rukia returned with a note pad reading "Chappy" on the front. Ichigo inwardly cursed himself for trying to talk to Rukia about anything. After sitting through an hour of chappy theatre on why people sneeze, Ichigo had died of boredom.

"Uh...Ichigo?" Rukia poked his unmoving body. "No way! He actually _died _of boredom?"

The window slid open and Ichigo hopped in, already in shinigami form. "A hollow appeared. I went to take care of it."

"..."

Re-entering his body, Ichigo sighed and laid back down on his bed. Rukia smiled at him, a small blush appearing. She looked away as he tilted his head her way.

"Hey, you alright?"

"Uh, yeah. I'm just fine."

"Heh." Ichigo closed his eyes, slowly drifting off to sleep. Rukia sighed in contentment. All the time she was around Ichigo, she felt at ease. There was more to him than she had ever imagined, and she knew that her feelings for him would only continue to grow. All the times he'd saved her life, and all the times he would speak encouragement to everyone. Ichigo was her light, in a world full of darkness. If only, however, she didn't let her first light burnout.

She climbed out the window and onto the roof of the Kurosaki household. Laying back and looking up at the stars, she remembered doing it a lot when she was a kid. She also remembered laying next to Renji, talking about any and everything, the way she did with Ichigo. What she didn't remember, was that Renji never told her she was wrong.

As Rukia reminisced on the past, Renji looked forward to the future. On top of the Squad 6 barracks, Renji stargazed, as if looking into the eternal abyss of his own mind. The future belonged to he who could shape the stars. Beneath the stars, Renji reached up.

'I am the Rogue under the stars shadow. One day, I'll stand tall over them all.'


End file.
